THE JOHN F. SCARPA CENTER FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND LAW

students gather in the scarpa center

Central to Villanova’s cutting-edge approach to legal education is the John F. Scarpa Center for Entrepreneurship and Law, which serves as the hub for the School’s cross-disciplinary programming, groundbreaking coursework and real-world learning opportunities. 

Under the auspices of the Center, new learning modules— focused on the intersection of business and law—were added to the School’s core curriculum for JD candidates. These courses are designed to immerse all Villanova students in the practical application of their law studies and better prepare them for today’s business-centric legal practice.

Vital hands-on experience is offered through experiential education opportunities. One of these opportunities is the Clinic for Law and Entrepreneurship. Consistent with the mission of Villanova Law’s Clinical Program, CFLE represents entrepreneurial clients whose organizational model involves community driven change, and promotes democratic decision making, sustainability in neighborhoods, and social, economic and racial equity. For more information on the CFLE and other clinics, please visit the Clinical Program’s website.

The Center serves as a hub for academic and practical discussions regarding business and the law. It hosts dozens of speakers from practice and the business world each year, along with a number of professors from business schools and law schools who share their cutting-edge scholarship with our faculty and students. Finally, the Center serves as the Law School’s point of contact with the University’s ICE Institute and all of the entrepreneurship-related programming it provides for the Villanova community.

Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship

The Villanova University Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (IIE) is a driver of scholastic, educational and professional development opportunities for creativity, innovation and entrepreneuship. IIE has a multidisciplinary focus and seeks to advance the University's strategy by fostering cross-college learning and embedding entrepreneurial thinking in Villanova's culture.

MarySheila E. McDonald
John F. Scarpa Professor of Entrepreneurship
Director, Scarpa Center for Law and Entrepreneurship
Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law
299 N. Spring Mill Road
Villanova, PA 19085

marysheila.mcdonald@law.villanova.edu